​Is fear of the unknown something that we are born with, or is it developed over time? Either way, our fear of the unknown can be lessened and perhaps even removed by changing our thoughts about the future. Because of our programming, our initial reaction to future events might be negative, but with practice we can determine to stay opened-minded and curious. Children often show excitement and even enthusiasm about the future, what it holds, and how they are going to be instrumental in making things happen. If we can replace fear with curiosity, we just might discover the optimism of our youth once more.